Recipes: Creamy Wild Rice Soup

CREAMY WILD RICE SOUP

Serves 6.

Note: Whisking a little flour into the milk before adding it to the soup will help to slightly thicken the soup and give it more body, without having to add any extra fat. To toast the almonds, put them in a dry pan over medium heat until slightly browned and fragrant.

• 2 tsp. olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 medium carrots, cut into small dice

• 2 celery ribs, cut into small dice

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 4 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

• 1/2 c. wild rice

• 3 tbsp. flour

• 2 c. (2 percent) milk

• 2 tsp. lemon juice

• Toasted sliced almonds, optional (see Note)

Directions

Warm oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Sauté for 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in broth and rice, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 50 minutes or until rice is tender.

Combine flour and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add to pan. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened (about 8 minutes), stirring frequently. Add in the parsley and lemon juice. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of toasted almonds if desired.

Calories166Fat4 gSodium311 mg

Carbohydrates24 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium127 mg

Protein9 gCholesterol7 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 milk, 1 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 1 fat.

MINI BARBECUED MEATLOAVES

Note: When you've been bitten by the barbecue bug, but the thermometer has dipped too low to fire up the grill, this is the dish for you. Let your kids do the scooping and plopping into the muffin tins. It's a good idea to place the muffin tin on a rimmed cookie sheet before you put it in the oven. This saves clean-up time if any juices from the meat spillover.

• 1 slice homestyle wheat bread

• 1/3 c. low-fat milk

• 1 medium onion, peeled, cut and chopped

• 1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

• 1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 11/2 lb. lean ground beef

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 c. barbecue sauce (use favorite brand), divided

• Vegetable spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In the bowl of a food processor, tear the bread into pieces, pour the milk over the bread. Let sit for a few minutes. Then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and carrot to the food processor. Pulse until everything is finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the beef, salt, pepper, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and egg whites. Mix together thoroughly (I like to use my hands for this task, but you can use a large wooden spoon if you like).

Remove from the muffin tin and serve hot.

Nutrition information per each of 8 meatloaves:

Calories195Fat9 gSodium390 mg

Carbohydrates11 gSaturated fat3 gCalcium44 mg

Protein17 gCholesterol54 mgDietary fiber1 g

SMOKED TURKEY, CHEDDAR AND APPLE PANINIS

Serves 4.

Note: These directions are for making paninis "old school," without the help of an electric griddle or panini press. If you have either appliance, feel free to use it. Just follow the manufacturer's directions. If the chutney seems a stretch for your little ones, feel free to leave it out.

• 2 tbsp. Major Grey's Chutney

• 8 slices homestyle whole wheat bread

• 2 oz. thinly sliced Cheddar cheese

• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

• Cooking spray

Directions

Spread 1/2 tablespoon chutney on each of 4 bread slices; top each slice with 2 ounces turkey, 1/2 ounce cheese, and enough apple slices to cover the cheese. Top with remaining bread slices.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories340Fat9 gSodium1,122 mg

Carbohydrates41 gSaturated fat4 gCalcium163 mg

Protein23 gCholesterol42 mgDietary fiber6 g